A sudden brief effort or burst of movement. In early use also: †a leap, a rush (obsolete). Cf. sense 5a and also phrases 2.

A sudden movement or jerk, a spurt of action; chiefly in phrases at a gird, for a gird, by fits and girds (cf. fit, n.2 4c); also in a gird…

A sudden, brisk, or hasty movement; a start; occasionally a sudden gust. Obsolete. (Cf. whip, int. adv.)

A motion or movement (of a thing) as though shooting or being shot in a particular direction; also the space or distance covered by such a motion or…

A sudden brisk movement. Obsolete. rare.

A sudden snatch or catch at something; a quick movement or effort. †to lie at (or upon the) snap, to lie in wait. †by snaps, fitfully, spasmodically.

A sudden darting movement; a spring, a flick.

A sudden jerk or movement, a quick throw or cast, a darting motion. Of wind: A gust.

A quick noiseless movement, esp. of a hare.

The act of darting; a sudden rapid motion.

Scottish (now chiefly Shetland). A sudden dart or bound; a spurt of movement. Cf. spout, v. 5.

figurative. with a thrash: very quickly; at once. Cf. at a blow at blow, n.1 4a, at a stroke at stroke, n.1 2e. Obsolete. rare.

A sudden quick movement; a spring, jump, leap.

transferred. A sudden dart into a place or across a space, esp. so as to disappear.